China’s ultraviolet nights, neon cityscapes by Marilyn Mugot

Published on 10 March 2017

all images Marilyn Mugot

[M]arilyn Mugot’s Night Project is a series shot in China and Hong Kong but was conceived whilst travelling across the US. During her trip, Marilyn encountered the works of light artists and manipulators which, engaging her creative sensibilities, prompted her to seek out her own neon light-trip and create her own world within it.

Marilyn is currently preparing for an exhibition in Paris later this year, in the meantime follow her on Instagram @mary_wolf.

Celestial Kingdom, Chongqing, 2016

Hey Mariyln, what provoked you to start this project?

“Night Project” begun in 2014. I was travelling alone for several months in the USA. Throughout this trip, I wanted to extend my creative field, take time to think about myself, what I do on this earth, discover new horizons and work on more personal photographs that better resemble me.

After some research I came across the luminous design work of Carlo Bernardini, James Clar and James Turrell – this medium matched with me and I wanted to integrate it into my photography

Nightlight, Chongqing, 2016

Where were these taken?

My pictures were made mostly in China, Hong kong, Guilin and Chongqing. I didn’t go there by chance. Chinese urban landscapes attract me by the play of neon lights and city aesthetics. Many shops still use this type of lighting and gives a very interesting and surreal effect.

Ultraviolet Night Guilin 2016

This series makes these places appear to be very alive but empty, is this the reality ?

Well, I do not want to specifically reflect the places I visit in one picture. I like precisely to lose the references and to emphasise the aesthetic and sensitive character of the photo instead of creating something realistic and documentary. What I like to create is my vision of the universe. Photography is a tool to create my new world with my colours and dimensions.

Wavy Horizon, Chongqing, 2016

What kind of films, photographers or artworks appeal to your aesthetic?

The cinema from the 80s/90s inspires me a lot. Above all “Dickian” (Philip K Dick themes) with an approach of virtual and alternative worlds like Existenz, Blade Runner, 12 Monkeys, Gattaca, Open Your Eyes/Vanilla Sky and Synecdoche, New York.

Painting inspires me too. When I was eight years old I saw “Dream Caused By The Flight of a Bee Around a Grenade” by Dalí and it pset me. I had never seen those shapes or colours before and at that age I didn’t have the language to describe it. It was explosive, the details are so realistic but bathed in a fantastic and mysterious world, everything is an enigma, it was a real visual shock.

Radiance, Chongqing, 2016

Who's your favourite account that you follow on Instagram?

I follow the work of @CodyCobb. His landscapes glorifying nature and its details really affect me. His photographs situate him at the limit of pictorial hyper-realism. I am also interested in the Urban art through the account @KidSwiz with his deconstruction and acho of his elements anmd forms, @FelipePantone with his huge frescoes of pelectric and psychedelic colours and @Mafia_Tabak with his abstract paints.